Bookbinding



March 6, 1954 w. R. STEIN ET AL BOOKBINDING Filed March 17, 1950INVENTORS.

WILLIAM R. STEIN HAROLD J. HYDE.JR. BY [4% W ORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 16, 1954 B OKBINDIN G William R. Stein, Teaneck, andHarold J Hyde, Jr., Lyndhurst, N. J.

Application March 17, 1950, Serial No. 150,142

3 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of binding books or similarpublications, and its principal object is to provide an improved methodof manufacturing to accomplish a strong, square bind without the aid ofstitches, slits, backings, etc.

Other objects of the invention as well as the advantages thereof, willappear from the following description when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of themeans for preparing the pages of the book to be secured together; Fig. 2is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of a book made in accordance with the invention and partly insection to show its construction more clearly, and Figs. 4 to 8 areschematic views illustrating the several process steps of the invention;Fig. 4 indicating the station at which the mechanism of Figs. 1 and 2 islocated; Fig. 5 indicating the gluing step; Fig. 6 illustrating theattachment of the cover to the glued sheets of the book; Fig. 7illustrating the manner in which the cover is clamped to the book andFig. 8 illustrating the maner in which the bound edge of the book issquared.

In the drawings, the numeral [0 designates generally, one of a series ofclamps of the usual construction provided on a horizontal conveyor forcontinuously moving books along a predetermined path on a bookbindingmachine. The book ll supported by the clamp l0 consists of any number ofsignatures or sheets which are to be bound together. As is shown in Fig.1 of the drawings, the book II is adjustably positioned in the clamp [0so that the side thereof to be bound projects or depends a predetermineddistance below the bottom edges of the two plates of the clamp. In thecase of folios or signatures, the binding edges of the same will soproject below the clamp. In the travel of the conveyor, each clamp witha book so supported thereby, moves in a successive fashion overmechanism (see Fig. 4) for preparing the books for the gluing step (Fig.5). As is shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, suchmechanism includes a bracket l2 which is secured in any suitable mannerto the frame of the binding machine, so that it extends transverselybelow the path of movement or travel of the clamps I0 and the books llsupported thereby. The bracket I2 is formed to provide two horizontalvertically-spaced bracket arms l3 and I4 having pairs of horizontallydisposed elongated slots designated l5, l5, I6 and IS; the pair of slotsis in arm l3 being vertically aligned with respect to the pair of slotsE5 in arm l4 and the pair of slots I6 in arm l3 being vertically alignedwith respect to the pair of slots IS in arm l4. Adjustably secured tothe arms [3 and I4 through slots 15 and It, as by bolts, are a pair ofaligned bearing straps or hangers H, H which rotatably receive avertical shaft I8. The shaft I8 is rotatably and adjustably supported onthe hangers H, H through collars l9, l9 which are adjustably secured toshaft l8 intermediate such hangers. In a similar fashion, a pair ofhangers or bearing straps 20, 2|! are adjustably secured to the bracketarms I3 and I4 through slots l6, H5, and such straps serve a bearingsupports for the vertical shaft 2| which is supported thereon throughthe collars 22, 22' adjustably secured to shaft 2 l. Connected to thelower end of shaft I8 is a gear wheel 25 which is in mesh with a gearwheel 23 provided on the lower end of shaft 2|. Secured to shaft 2!intermediate the collars 22, 22 is a pulley 21 which supports one end ofa drive belt 23 connected at its other end to a pulley 29 provided onthe drive shaft of a motor 30. The motor 30 is adjustably mounted on anextension 3| of bracket l2.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the vertical shafts I8 and2I are rotatably mounted on bracket l2 so that they may be adjusted ineither a vertical or horizontal direction; the teeth of gears 25 and 26being formed so that a slight horizontal adjustment of such shafts maybe obtained without disrupting their driving connection. The shafts l8and H] are continuously driven through the gears 25, 2B, shaft 2|,pulley 21, belt 28, pulley 29 and motor 30 during the operation of themachine; the arrangement being such that shaft I8 is driven in aclockwise direction and shaft 2| in a counterclockwise direction, asviewed in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Adjustably secured to the upper threaded end of shaft 18 as by locknuts32, 32, are two spaced discs 33, 33, which are maintained in spacedrelation on shaft M3 by an intermediate disc 34 of lesser diameter. Thediscs 33, 33 may be from A to /4" thick or any other desirablethickness. The intermediate disc or spacer 34 which has a diameter ofapproximately one inch less than the diameter of discs 33, 33 has athickness which is slightly greater than the thickness of the outerperipheral edge of a blade 35 which projects into the space formed bythe three discs 33, 33 and 3 3 as is shown more clearly in Fig. 1 of thedrawings. Spacer 34 may be varied depending upon the thickness of thesize of blade 35 used in processing any particular thickness of book andthe three discs if desired, may be bolted firmly together to make arigid, unitary female for the peripheral edge of the blade. The blade 35is mounted on the upper end of shaft 2! between a pair of discs 36, 36;the blade and discs being adjustably secured to the threaded end of suchshaft by suitable locknuts 31, 31. The discs 36, 36 are preferably ofthe same thickness as the discs 33, B3 and-are aligned with "the latter,so that they will cooperate to keep the book steady during the cuttingaction of the blade 35. The circular blade 35 has straight teeth 35'contained in the plane of the blade and alternately arranged with teeth35 which are set to one side only, so that they incline downwardly an'doutwardly when the blade is positioned on shaft 2|, as viewed in Fig. l.The =teethare roughly sharpened so that they do not cut through a stackof sheets with a clean cut.

The above described parts are adjusted for the thickness of the books tobe bound so that the spacing between the peripheral edges of discs 33,33and discs 36, 36 is approximately the same as the thickness ofsuch'books, but slightly less than the latter so that such edges arejust snug-against the sides of -the-books-as the books are movedtherebetweenby the conveyor. Thus, the dis'cs will exert aslightsteadying pressure :on the sides "of the portion of the bookprojecting below its supporting clamp during the cutting operation. Asthe conveyor successively moves thebooks H of signatures -or sheetssupported by the clamps 10 between'the discs 33, .33 and 38, 36, theteeth of blade 35 which move in the direction of feedof the books willcutor trim oii'the i that the cutend of the book presents'a frayedappearance, such as shown in the portion of the book designatedgenerally by the numeral 38 in :3 of the drawings. The fibers and Jaggedportions thus :produced on the closely :superimposed sheets underpressure, are not all individualized, but are in major .portionintertangled and hooked together.

The-clamps i0 'pass =fromthe above described mechanism directly to agluing device to move the out books without disturbing the sheetsthereof overa glue roller! (note Fig. 5) ,-which applies-a coatingofsuitable binding glue to' such roughened "cut 'edges -of the *book. Theglue is heated so that it is free-flowing and readily-penetratesintothespaces between the loosenedfibers and jagged..=portions to enclosethe same. As a result of this step, the fuzzy :fibers and jaggedportions -will be-enibedded in glue and such'glue will reach but not:g'o *substantially beyond the solid partsof the sheets. The appearanceof the frayed fibers'and pie'cesof the sheets when embedded in-glueisshown in the bookportiondes ignat'ed generally by th'e numeral-fl-lin-Fig. 3-of the drawings.

From the ;glue roller, the clamps H] in :their travel, bring thezglue'dbooks successively over a vertically movableLpleltedZ upon which thebook covers 43 are-'fe'd (note "Fig. cor tlie drawings, which figure aswellas Figs. '7 and8'show the parts transverse to the line -of travel ofthe clamps for the sake of clearne'ss). -As :a book movesintmproper.position overiplate-M, the lat- L'il ter is actuated upwardlyto press the central portion of the cover blank 43 into engagement withthe glued binding edge of the book. At the next station of the machine,two plates 44, 44 are moved in as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings tofold and clamp the sides of the cover to the book. Finally, a plate 45is moved upwardly to square the bound edge of the book. At the end ofthese operations the finished 'book is discharged from its supportingclamp I0.

While we have hereinabove described and illustrated a preferred form ofthe invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatvarious changes and modifications may be made the'r'ein Withoutdeparting from the spirit of the lhvlltibn dr the scope of the appendedclaims.

We claim:

1. Aboo'kb'indin'g machine comprising movable means -for clamping a bookof sheets so as to leave exposed in depending relation the edge portionthereof to he bound, a vertically disposed shaft-arranged-on-each sideofthe-path of travel of "such exposed edge portion, a circular bladesecured to one of said shafts andextending across-said path of travelbetween the lower edge of such edge portion and said clamping means,said blade having alternately -=offset, roughly sharpened teeth capable-of forming a cut edge -:on such edge i portion having separated fibersand jagged .portions .interentangled and hooked together to an extent asto fasten the out edges; of such-sheets together, .discs mounted on saidshaft above and below said blade :and cooperating to .rigidif-y thelatter, disc-shaped female means mounted on .said other vertical shaftand having anannular groove into which the peripheral edge of said bladeextends, the .annular peripheral sides -of said means above .andbelowsaid groove being-in alignment with the peripheral edge portions ofsaid :discs and .said sidesand'edge .portions coacting .to .apply .a.holding pressure on the edge portion passing thembetween, means forrotating -said blade .shait in the same direction as the direction oftravel of said book lamps, and means for applying sulficient glue .toembed the interlocked fibers and jagged portions and'to reach but notextendsiibstantially beyond the sdli'd portions of the sheets.

2. Abookb'indingmachinecomprising movable means for clamping a book ofsheets so as 'to.

leave exposed a stibs'tantial part of the edgeportion thereof "tobebound and-movable along a predetermined path, -a circular b'la'de having-an axis of rotation -.offset from such ;path so that the .peripheraledge .portion of such blade extends transversely across the .-path oftravel of such exposed book .part andlocate'd"between 'the outer edge ofsaid book part and said clamping means, .said blade having alternatelyoffset, roughly-sharpened teeth capable of forming a cut edge on suchbook f-part "having separated fibers andjjaggedpaper portionsinter-entangled and hook ed together 'to an extent as to fastenthe-cutedges of such .shetstogether, means 'for rotating saidcircularb'la'de in the same direction as the :travel of said clampingmeans, "coacting means .progressively engaging both sides of suchexposed bock partand .on at7least .the

side-cf said blade adjacent said clamping means dition during 'thecutting action of -said blade,

and means-fer applying sufficient glue to embed the interlocked .fibersand .jagged portions and to reach, but not extend substantially, beyondthe solid portions of the sheets.

3. A bookbinding machine comprising movable means for clamping a book ofsheets so as to leave exposed a substantial part of the edge portionthereof to be bound and movable along a predetermined path, a saw bladeconstructed and arranged to have its toothed edge portion extend acrossthe path of travel of such exposed book part and located between theouter edge of such book part and said clamping means, said blade havingteeth capable of forming a cut edge on such book part having separatedfibers and jagged paper portions interentangled and hooked together toan extent as to fasten the cut edges of such sheets together, means formoving said blade so that in its cutting action the teeth thereof aremoving in substantially the same direction as the direction of movementof said clamping means, coasting means progressively engaging both sidesof such exposed book part References Cited in the file of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 45,310 Boardman Dec. 6, 18641,248,252 Bredenberg Nov. 27, 1917 1,804,392 Alger May 12, 19311,988,208 Martin Jan. 15, 1935 2,555,428 Tuttle June 5, 1951

